LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The man accused of murdering a woman in the Newburg neighborhood on Feb. 27 has a history of violent offenses, specifically domestic.
Court records show that in Jan. 2021, a district court judge ordered Christopher Gordon not to contact Angelica James -- the mother of his young boy -- and to participate in a Batterer's Intervention Program after being found guilty of assaulting her in late 2020. These were conditions of his two-year probation sentence.
And on Tuesday, the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney said this past January, Gordon violated the terms of his probation.
First Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Erwin Roberts said Gordon 'absconded' from his probation, something retired Judge Janice Martin interpreted as likely a missed meeting.
"The probation officer either couldn't find him, or he didn't keep his appointments. That's what that typically means," said Martin.
Records show that in response, Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Michael T. Rudicil filed a motion to revoke probation, potentially opening the door for harsher penalties. That hearing was set for March 7, but with Gordon on the run, the questions of 'what if' start getting raised.
"It is surprising that he's out on the streets," Martin said. "Certainly you would hope that with his prior record, there would have been sentences in place that would have kept him confined, but I don't know all of the details."
Outside of the murder charge, LMPD also said Gordon kidnapped the 2-year-old boy he and James share and allegedly shot another 10-year-old boy also in the car with James. The 2-year-old was eventually found safe with family, and the 10-year-old is expected to be OK after being transported to the hospital with gunshot wounds to the hand and shoulder.
We also spoke with fellow retired Judge David Holton, who's currently running for Jefferson County Attorney. In his time as a judge, he says he's heard many domestic violence cases, and many have led to probation.
Holton calls verdicts in those kinds of cases a 'slippery slope.'
"[It's about] the facts you have, but you also take into account what the victims want. That really decides how you're going to pursue a case," Holton said. "It really appears to me that the mistake was made when that third domestic violence [charge] in five years was not pursued as a felony."
Both former judges tell us that given Gordon's substantial violent history, including charges and convictions of harming other people, they believe the argument could be made that Gordon shouldn't have been out on the street to begin with.
"This gentleman has a history. Anytime he has a disagreement with someone, he always uses violence -- typically a gun. That is his pattern," Martin said.
Louisville Metro Police arrested Gordon on Thursday, March 3 after a four-day manhunt.
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